Concern as fish die in beauty spot brook

Dead fish in brook at Cuckoo's hollow at Werrington. Picture: David Lowndes/Peterborough ET

SCORES of fish have been found dead in a brook running through a Peterborough beauty spot.

Walkers have been left horrified at the sight of the fish lying on top of the waters in Werrington Brook, in Cuckoo’s Hollow, Peterborough.

Environment Agency officials have been alerted but say it could be some days before the results of tests to find out the cause of the death are known.

It is feared by some residents that a factory fire nearby last month may have polluted the brook, causing the fish to die.

Ward councillor John Fox had alerted the Environment Agency in the aftermath of a major blaze in a nearby cosmetics factory warehouse off Lincoln Road, in Werrington on Tuesday, December 14.

He said: “We could be looking at another environmental disaster similar to when oil from a garage in Lincoln Road leaked into the water and killed all the fish a few years ago.

“After the fire at the Potter and Moore Innovations warehouse and all the water we used we noticed the water at Cuckoo’s Hollow had turned a milky colour but we don’t know yet whether that was to blame.”

The haven is only just recovering from a the death of scores of fish in July 2010 which were revealed to be the victims of a heatwave after being spotted floating on the surface by residents.

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said that more would be known about the cause of death of the fishes once the tests have been completed and the ice had thawed.

She added that fish in shallow water which ices over can die due to oxygen levels dropping significantly.

Werrington Neighbourhood Council chairman and Friends of Cuckoo’s Hollow member David Hedges said the news was “a disaster”.

He said: “We will be talking to Peterborough City Council to look to see if Cuckoo’s Hollow has been polluted but it is also incredibly sad.

“We think it might be a result of the chemicals from the fire a few weeks ago which would be a shame and another environmental blow.”

Dog walker Adrian Clarke, from Rudyard Grove, Werrington, alerted the ET after he spotted fish lying dead as the thaw took hold.

He said: “Its a disaster really you can see all the fish are dead from the little ones to a two and half foot pike.”